Gaming machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a gaming machine comprising a gaming ball detection device for detecting a gaming ball having passed through a predetermined region of a gaming member provided on a gaming board, wherein the gaming ball detection device comprises: a gaming ball detection channel through which a gaming ball passes; a pair of magnetic field generation means for generating a magnetic field in the gaming ball detection channel, the pair of magnetic generation means being arranged around the gaming ball detection channel so as to face each other; yokes forming an annular magnetic path between the pair of magnetic field generation means, the yokes being arranged around the gaming ball detection channel; and magnetic flux detection means for detecting a change in magnetic flux generating in the annular magnetic path.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-274906 filed on Sep. 22, 2005.

The contents of that application are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gaming machine comprising a gaming ball detection device for detecting a gaming ball having passed through a predetermined region of a gaming member.

2. Discussion of the Background

As such a kind of conventional gaming machine, mentioned is a pachinko gaming machine. The gaming board of this pachinko gaming machine is provided with gaming members, such as a starting winning opening, a regular winning opening and a special winning opening, which a gaming ball can enter. These winning openings are provided with a passing ball sensor for detecting passage of the gaming ball. When the gaming ball enters these winning openings and is detected by the passing ball sensor, gaming balls are disbursed from a ball tank to an upper tray through a ball channel, allowing a player to obtain a predetermined profit.

JP-A 2001-91659 discloses such a kind of passing ball sensor for detecting passage of gaming balls. This passing ball sensor disclosed in JP-A 2001-91659 has a configuration in which a circuit substrate with a magnetoresistive element mounted thereon and a magnet for applying a magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element are housed in a non-magnetic protective case. The non-magnetic protective case has a detection hole through which a gaming ball can pass. The circuit substrate and the detection face of the magnetoresistive element mounted on the circuit substrate are arranged parallel to the axial direction of the detection hole. When the gaming ball has passed through the detection hole, change in magnetic field generated by the magnet is detected on the detection face of the magnetoresistive element, and a resistance value of the magnetoresistive element becomes high. This change in resistance value increases a collector current of a transistor for amplification connected to the magnetoresistive element. The waveform change in collector current at that time is outputted from the circuit substrate as a pulse signal, and thereby passage through the detection hole of the gaming ball is detected.

However, with such a conventional passing ball sensor disclosed in JP-A 2001-91659, since just the change in magnetic field generated by the passing gaming ball is detected, the passing ball sensor is easily affected by an external magnetic field. Therefore, even when the gaming ball has not really passed through the detection hole, if a change is generated in the magnetic field applied to the magnetoresistive element, the gaming ball is determined to have passed through the detection hole. As a result, there have been actions (“goto-actions”), in which gaming balls are illegally obtained by making the passing ball sensor to erroneously detect that the gaming ball has passed. Such a false detection is cased, for example, by putting a magnet close to a winning device provided with the passing ball sensor from the front face of the gaming board and then changing the magnetic field applied to the magnetoresistive element using a magnetic field generated from the approached magnet.

The contents of JP-A 2001-91659 are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problem described above. And the present invention is a gaming machine comprising a gaming ball detection device for detecting a gaming ball having passed through a predetermined region of a gaming member provided on a gaming board, wherein the gaming ball detection device comprises: a gaming ball detection channel through which a gaming ball passes; a pair of magnetic field generation means for generating a magnetic field in the gaming ball detection channel, the pair of magnetic field generation means being arranged around the gaming ball detection channel so as to face each other; yokes forming an annular magnetic path between the pair of magnetic field generation means, the yokes being arranged around the gaming ball detection channel; and magnetic flux detection means for detecting a change in magnetic flux generating in the annular magnetic path.

According to this configuration, the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the pair of magnetic field generation means generates, flows through the inside of the yokes which form the annular magnetic path, when the gaming ball is not passing through the gaming ball detection channel. On the other hand, when the gaming ball is passing through the gaming ball detection channel, the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the pair of magnetic field generation means generates, also flows through the inside of the gaming ball, and being dispersed, the magnetic flux flowing through the inside of the yokes decreases. Therefore, the magnetic flux detection means detects whether or not the gaming ball has passed through the gaming ball detection channel, based on the change in magnetic flux flowing through the inside of the yokes, that is, the change in magnetic flux generating in the annular magnetic path. At this time, the magnetic flux detection means detects the change in magnetic flux generating in the closed annular magnetic path and therefore can detect the passage of the gaming ball accurately without influence of an external magnetic field. Accordingly, the illegal actions in which the gaming balls are illegally obtained by making the magnetic flux detection means to erroneously detect that the gaming ball has passed, by putting a magnet close to the gaming board from the front face thereof and thereby making an external magnetic field reach the magnetic flux detection means, can be prevented.

Further, in the present invention, the yokes comprise: a first yoke having a space, the first yoke being formed on the annular magnetic path; and a second yoke arranged facing the first yoke, wherein the magnetic flux detection means is arranged within the space.

According to this configuration, the distribution of the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the pair of magnetic field generation means generates, concentrates within the space formed in the first yoke. Therefore, the magnetic flux detection means arranged in the space tends to effectively and accurately detect the change in magnetic flux that is generated in the annular magnetic path depending on whether or not the gaming ball has passed.

Further, the present invention is the gaming machine, wherein the magnetic field generation means face each other in a direction parallel to a board face of the gaming board, the yokes are arranged along the direction, and the magnetic flux detection means is arranged such that a detection face for detecting the change in magnetic flux is perpendicular to the board face of the gaming board.

According to this configuration, the magnetic flux detection means detects, on the detection face, a change in magnetic flux generating in a direction parallel to the gaming board, but does not detect, on the detection face, a change in magnetic flux generating in a direction perpendicular to the gaming board. Accordingly, if a magnet is put close to the gaming board from the front face of the gaming board, for example, since a magnetic field reaching the magnetic flux detection means due to the magnet mainly has a component in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic flux detection and hardly has an influence on the magnetic field detected by the magnetic flux detection means, the illegal actions using the false detection of the magnetic flux detection means can be prevented more certainly.

Further, the present invention is the gaming machine, wherein the magnetic flux detection means comprises a Hall element.

According to this configuration, the change in magnetic flux, which is generated when the gaming ball passes through the gaming ball detection channel, is detected by detection of a change in Hall voltage, which generates as a galvanomagnetic effect inside the Hall element. The change in Hall voltage appears as a drift change of a carrier inside the Hall element, and is detected in extremely short period of time. Therefore, passage of the gaming ball is detected with high speed and high accuracy. Further, even if an electromagnetic wave causes a slight change in magnetic flux, in the static magnetic field around the Hall element, such a slight change hardly has an influence on a Hall effect generated by the Hall element. Therefore, the passage of the gaming ball will not be detected improperly due to the influence of the electromagnetic wave.

As thus described, the gaming machine of the present invention can detect the passage of the gaming ball accurately without influence of an external magnetic field because the magnetic flux detection means detects the change in magnetic flux generated in the closed annular magnetic path. Accordingly, the illegal actions in which the gaming balls are illegally obtained by making the magnetic flux detection means to erroneously detect that the gaming ball has passed, by putting a magnet close to the gaming board from the front face thereof and thereby making an external magnetic field reach the magnetic flux detection means, can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a pachinko gaming machine according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko gaming machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing a configuration of a transparent gaming board of the pachinko gaming machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the configuration of the rear face of the transparent gaming board shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a structure of a winning ball collecting gutter assembly provided on the rear face of the transparent gaming board shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6A is a side view showing a structure of a passing ball sensor for use in the pachinko gaming machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6B is a plan view showing the structure of the passing ball sensor for use in the pachinko gaming machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an electronic circuit for processing and controlling the game operation of the pachinko gaming machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8A is a plane view showing the passing ball sensor when the pachinko ball is not passing through the passing hole of the passing ball sensor; and

FIG. 8B is a plane view showing the passing ball sensor when the pachinko ball is passing through the passing hole of the passing ball sensor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will, hereinafter, be described.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a pachinko gaming machine 10 according to the present embodiment. The pachinko gaming machine 10 comprises in the midsection of the front face thereof a transparent gaming board 12 where a pachinko game is played. A liquid crystal display device 13 c provided at the rear of the transparent gaming board 12 is transparently seen through the board face of the transparent gaming board 12. Below the transparent gaming board 12, a tray unit 11 b including an upper tray 11 b ₁ and a lower tray 11 b ₂ is provided. A launching handle 1 is provided to the right of the lower tray 11 b ₂.

The midsection of the transparent gaming board 12 is provided with a special symbol display section 12 a for visually identifying special symbols displayed on the liquid crystal display device 13 c. A passing gate (not shown) is provided on either side of the special symbol display section 12 a. Further, the lower part of the transparent gaming board 12 is provided with a starting winning opening 12 b. When a pachinko ball as the gaming ball launched to the board face by the operation of the launching handle 1 enters the starting winning opening 12 b, special symbols are variably displayed in the special symbol display section 12 a of the liquid crystal display device 13 c to start a special symbol game. When the special symbols displayed in the special symbol display section 12 a are aligned in a predetermined combination for a big hit, a big hit winning is generated and a big hit game is thus played. Further, on either side of the starting winning opening 12 b, a regular winning opening 12 c is provided for disbursing a predetermined number of winning balls, for example ten winning balls, upon entry of the pachinko ball thereinto. The winning balls are disbursed to the upper tray 11 b ₁ of the tray unit 11 b, but disbursed to the lower tray 11 b ₂ when the upper tray 11 b ₁ is full. Moreover, below the starting winning opening 12 b provided is a special winning opening (attacker) 12 d, in which a door is opened and closed in the big hit game which is played when the big hit winning is generated. Below the special winning opening 12 d provided is an outlet 12 e which pachinko balls having entered none of the winning openings 12 b to 12 d enter.

Each of the winning openings 12 b to 12 d and the passing gate constitute the gaming member provided on the transparent gaming board 12. Each of the winning openings 12 b to 12 d and an opening region of the passing gate constitute the predetermined region of the gaming member.

The big hit game starts after the special symbols in a combination for the big hit winning are stopped and displayed at the end of the special symbol game. And for example, 15 rounds of games are played at the maximum, in each of which the special winning opening 12 d is kept open until a predetermined number of the pachinko balls, for example ten pachinko balls, enter the special winning opening 12 d, or until a predetermined time, for example 30 seconds, has passed. When the pachinko ball having entered the special winning opening 12 d enters a specific region called a V-zone provided inside the special winning opening 12 d during each round, the player can continue the game to the next round. However, when the pachinko ball having entered the special winning opening 12 d does not enter the V-zone during each round, the game state comes into so-called blown-out state, and then the big hit game is terminated, even before completion of the 15 rounds. During the big hit game, representation is provided by means of illumination of an illumination device 11 a provided above the board face of the transparent gaming board 12.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko gaming machine 10. In this figure, the same parts as in FIG. 1 are shown by the same symbols as in FIG. 1 to omit the descriptions of those parts.

A middle frame 13 is fixed to the front face of a rectangular wooden frame 14 to constitute the pachinko gaming machine 10. The middle frame 13 constitutes a rear mechanism board positioned at the rear of the transparent gaming board 12, along with the liquid crystal display device 13 c to be fixed to the rear face of the middle frame 13. The middle frame 13 comprises a below-described launching solenoid 13 d (see FIG. 7) for launching the pachinko ball, and others. The middle frame 13 is pivotally supported on the left side of the wooden frame 14 so as to be opened and closed on the front face of the wooden frame 14. The transparent gaming board 12 is fixed to the midsection of the front face of the middle frame 13, and a pair of speakers 13 b, 13 b, from which sound effect and the like of the game is provided, are fixed to the upper part of the middle frame 13. Further, the foregoing launching handle 1 is fixed to the right lower part of the front face of the middle frame 13. The transparent gaming board 12 and the speakers 13 b, 13 b are covered with a glass door 11, and from the transparent glass part of the glass door 11, seen is the board face of the transparent gaming board 12. The upper part of the glass door 11 is provided with the foregoing illumination device 11 a. The illumination device 11 a comprises an illumination LED (Light Emitting Diode) 11 a ₂, and a lens cover 11 a ₁ for covering the illumination LED 11 a ₂, to provide representation of the pachinko game. Moreover, the foregoing tray unit 11 b is fixed to the lower part of the middle frame 13.

To a rectangular opening in the midsection of the rear face of the middle frame 13, fixed is the liquid crystal display device 13 c so as to be opposed to the transparent gaming board 12. And a ball disbursement unit 15 a and a substrate case unit 15 b are further fixed so as to cover the liquid crystal display device 13 c from the rear thereof. The left side of the ball disbursement unit 15 a and the right side of the substrate case unit 15 b are pivotally supported on the middle frame 13, and the ball disbursement unit 15 a and the substrate case unit 15 b open in the form of double doors to expose the rear face of the liquid crystal display device 13 c. The liquid crystal display device 13 c provides representation display according to the game state or the like, on the front face, and displays special symbols in the special symbol display section 12 a as described above. The ball disbursement unit 15 a supplies pachinko balls, the number of which depends on a winning result, to the upper tray 11 b ₁ and the lower tray 11 b ₂. The substrate case unit 15 b houses a main control substrate 30, a sub-control substrate 40, a disbursement and launching control substrate 60 (see FIG. 7) and the like, as described below, for controlling the game operation, the representation display, the ball launching and the like.

FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing a configuration of a transparent gaming board 12. In this figure, the same parts as in FIGS. 1 and 2 are shown by the same symbols as or parts corresponding to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 to omit the descriptions of those parts.

The transparent gaming board 12 comprises a substantially circular game region 12A, and a substantially circular arc-shaped ball launching region 12B provided along the game region 12A from the left lower part of the game region 12A toward the slightly upper side of the midsection thereof. The game region 12A is provided with the foregoing winning openings 12 b to 12 d (not shown in this figure) and the like. The ball launching region 12B is a region for inducing the pachinko ball launched by the operation of the launching handle 1 into the game region 12A. The ball launching region 12B and the game region 12A are parted from each other with a return prevention member 12 f. This return prevention member 12 f serves to prevent the pachinko ball in the game region 12A from returning to the ball launching region 12B, and is formed of a plate body having elasticity.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the configuration of the rear face of the transparent gaming board 12. In FIG. 4, the same parts as or parts corresponding to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are shown by the same symbols as in FIGS. 1 and 2 to omit the descriptions of those parts.

The midsection of the rear face of the transparent gaming board 12 is provided with a warp channel 12 i. A warp inlet (not shown) for inducing the pachinko ball to the warp channel 12 i is open to the front face of the transparent gaming board 12. The pachinko ball having entered the warp inlet disappears from the board face of the transparent gaming board 12 and passes through the warp channel 12 i. Then, the pachinko ball exits from a warp outlet (not shown) to appear on the board face of the transparent gaming board 12. The warp outlet is provided above the starting winning opening 12 b, and therefore the pachinko ball, which enters the warp inlet and exits from the warp outlet to the front face of the transparent gaming board 12 to flow down, tends to easily enter the starting winning opening 12 b.

The lower part of the rear face of the transparent gaming board 12 is provided with a winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70 for collecting the pachinko balls having entered each of the foregoing winning openings 12 b to 12 d through each of the ball channels 70 a to 70 e. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the structure of the winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70 shown in FIG. 4. Slots 71 to 74 shown in FIG. 5 and formed respectively in the ball channels 70 a to 70 e of the winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70, are each provided with a below-described passing ball sensor 100 (see FIGS. 6A to 6(c)) for detecting passage of the pachinko ball. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, hollow parts 75, 76 shown in FIG. 5 are provided with a starting winning opening solenoid 24 and a special winning opening solenoid 25 (see FIG. 7) respectively, as described below.

The right lower part of the rear face of the transparent gaming board 12 is provided with a main relay substrate 80 and a sub-relay substrate 90. The main relay substrate 80 relays each electric connection of the main control substrate 30 housed in the substrate case unit 15 b with each of the passing ball sensors 100 provided in the winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70, and the like. The sub-relay substrate 90 relays each electric connection of the sub-control substrate 40 housed in the substrate case unit 15 b with the illumination LED 11 a ₂, and the like.

The sub-relay substrate 90 is provided with a connector 91, to which the illumination LED 11 a ₂ controlled by a sub-control circuit configured on the sub-control substrate 40, is connected. The sub-relay substrate 90 is also provided with a connector 92 to which the sub-control substrate 40 is connected. The connector 91 and the illumination LED 11 a ₂ which is fixed to the upper edge of the transparent gaming board 12 are electrically connected to each other with a harness (not shown). Further, the sub-control substrate 40 and the connector 92 are also connected electrically to each other with a harness (not shown). The sub-relay substrate 90 is provided with a connector group besides the connectors 91, 92. To the connector group, connected are a variety of actuators and the like, the actuators being fixed to the transparent gaming board 12 controlled by the sub-control circuit.

The main relay substrate 80 is held on the rear face of the transparent gaming board 12 by a substrate holder 81. The main relay substrate 80 is provided with: below-described actuators controlled by a main control circuit configured on the main control substrate 30, such as a starting winning opening solenoid 24, a special winning opening solenoid 25, a V-zone induction device 34 (see FIG. 7); a connector to which a plurality of the passing ball sensors 100 provided on the foregoing ball channels 70 a to 70 e, and the like, are connected; and a connector 88 connected to the main control substrate 30. The main control substrate 30 and the connector 88, etc., are also connected electrically to each other with a harness (not shown) as in the sub-control substrate 40 and the connector 92 described above.

FIG. 6A is a side view showing the structure of the foregoing passing ball sensor 100. FIG. 6B is a plan view thereof. FIG. 6B shows a state in which a top cover is removed from the housing case of the passing ball sensor 100.

Each of the passing ball sensors 100 constitutes a gaming ball detection device for detecting a pachinko ball P having passed through each of the winning openings 12 b to 12 d and the opening area of the passing gate which are provided on the transparent gaming board 12. And each of the passing ball sensors 100 is configured by comprising: in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing case with a passing hole 100 a, a pair of permanent magnets 101, 102, a pair of yokes (iron cores) 103, 104, a Hall element 105, and a circuit substrate (not shown).

The passing hole 100 a constitutes the gaming ball detection channel through which the pachinko ball P passes. The permanent magnets 101, 102 are arranged facing each other around the passing hole 100 a, and constitutes the pair of magnetic field generation means for generating a magnetic field in the passing hole 100 a. With respect to the permanent magnets 102, 103, different magnetic poles, namely, a north pole and a south pole, are made to face each other such that, the permanent magnets 101, 102 facing each other are arranged in a direction parallel to the board face of the transparent gaming board 12 in a state where the passing ball sensor 100 is inserted into slots 71 to 74 of the winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70. The yokes 103, 104 are arranged around the passing hole 10 a and form the annular magnetic path between the pair of permanent magnets 101, 102. The yoke 103 constitutes the first yoke formed to have a space 103 a on the annular magnetic path. The yoke 104 constitutes the second yoke arranged so as to face the yoke 103 with the passing hole 100 a therebetween. Each of the yokes 103, 104 is arranged in a direction parallel to the board face of the transparent gaming board 12 in a state in which the passing ball sensor 100 is inserted into slots 71 to 74 of the winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70. The Hall element 105 constitutes the magnetic flux detection means for detecting a change in magnetic flux generating in the annular magnetic path formed by the permanent magnets 101, 102 and the yokes 103, 104, based on the Hall effect. The Hall element 105 is arranged in the space 103 a formed in the yoke 103 such that the detection face 105 a for detecting the change in magnetic flux is perpendicular to the board face of the transparent gaming board 12, in a state in which the passing ball sensor 100 is inserted into slots 71 to 74 of the winning ball collecting gutter assembly 70. The distribution of the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field generated by the pair of permanent magnets 101, 102 concentrates in the space 103 a. On the foregoing circuit substrate, a circuit for calculating the Hall voltage generated in the Hall element 105 is configured. The circuit substrate and the main control substrate 30 (see FIG. 7) are electrically connected to each other with a connector provided on the main relay substrate 80.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an electronic circuit for processing and controlling the game operation of the pachinko gaming machine 10 according to the present embodiment. This electronic circuit includes a main control circuit provided on the main control substrate 30, a sub-control circuit provided on the sub-control substrate 40, and a disbursement and launching control circuit provided on a disbursement and launching control substrate 60, and the like. The main control circuit performs an electric control with regard to progress in pachinko game on the transparent gaming board 12, and a below-described electric control of the gaming machine on the transparent gaming board 12. The sub-control circuit performs an electric control of the representation device such as the illumination LED 11 a ₂, according to a command from the main control circuit. Further, the disbursement and launching control circuit controls disbursement of winning balls or the like and launching of the pachinko ball P.

On the main control substrate 30, mounted are electronic components such as the main CPU 31, an initial reset circuit 32 and a serial communication IC 33. On the main control substrate 30, also mounted are a main ROM (Read Only Memory) (not shown) where a program is stored for use by the main CPU 31 in processing and controlling the game operation of the pachinko gaming machine 10, and a main RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown) where data is temporarily stored while the game operation is processed and controlled. The initial reset circuit 32 generates a reset signal for deleting contents of a gaming state stored in the main RAM at the time of activating the main control circuit, and for initiating a game process according to the program stored in the main ROM. Moreover, the serial communication IC 33 serially exerts a control signal received from the main CPU 31 to the control substrates 40 and 60.

To the main control substrate 30, connected are: a gate switch 20 s, provided on the inner side of the foregoing passing gate, for detecting passage of the pachinko ball P through the passing gate; and a starting winning ball sensor 21 s for detecting the pachinko ball P having entered the starting winning opening 12 b. To the main control substrate 30, also connected are: a count switch 22 s for detecting the pachinko ball P having entered the special winning opening 12 d; a V-count switch 22 v for detecting the pachinko ball P having passed through the V-zone inside the special winning opening 12 d; and a regular winning ball sensor 23 s for detecting the pachinko ball P having entered the regular winning opening 12 c. Each of these switches 20 s, 22 s and 22 v and each of the sensors 21 s and 23 s are comprised of the foregoing passing ball sensor 100. To the main control substrate 30, connected are, as actuators: a starting winning opening solenoid 24 for extending a ball receiving slot of the starting winning opening 12 b; a special winning opening solenoid 25 for opening and closing the door of the special winning opening 12 d; a V-zone induction device 34 for inducing the pachinko ball P out of the V-zone after the pachinko ball P has entered the V-zone inside the special winning opening 12 d; and the like.

Each of the switches 20 s, 22 s and 22 v, each of the sensors 21 s and 23 s, and each of the actuators 24, 25 and 34 constitute a gaming device for carrying out a pachinko game, and are connected to the main control substrate 30 through the main relay substrate 80. When the passing ball sensor 100, which constitutes each of the switches 20 s, 22 s and 22 v and each of the sensors 21 s and 23 s, detects the pachinko ball P, the detection signal is inputted into the main CPU 31 of the main control substrate 30 through the main relay substrate 80. The main CPU 31 drives and controls each of the actuators 24, 25 and 34 according to the inputted detection signal.

The sub-control substrate 40 is connected to the liquid crystal display device (LCD) 13 c, the speakers 13 b, 13 b, and the illumination LED 11 a ₂ through the sub-relay substrate 90. The sub-control substrate 40 performs: an image display control of displaying an image on the liquid crystal display device 13 c; a sound control of providing sound effect from the speakers 13 b, 13 b; and an illumination control of light emission of the illumination LED 11 a ₂ according to a gaming state. On this sub-control substrate 40, mounted are a sub-CPU 41, a program ROM 42 and a work RAM 43. The sub-CPU 41 translates a control command received from the main control substrate 30 and sets a parameter of a VDP (Video Display Processor) 44. In the program ROM 42, a control program is stored for use by the sub-CPU 41 in processing and controlling each operation of the liquid crystal display device 13 c, the speakers 13 b, 13 b and the illumination LED 11 a ₂. The work RAM 43 serves as a temporary storage means at the time when the sub-CPU 41 processes and controls the operations according to the above-mentioned control program.

Further, on the sub-control substrate 40, mounted are an image data ROM 45, a VDP 44 and an initial reset circuit 46. The image data ROM 45 stores dot data for forming an image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device 13 c. The VDP 44 reads the dot data in the image data ROM 45 according to the parameter set in the sub-CPU 41, to produce image data to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device 13 c. The initial reset circuit 46 generates a reset signal for resetting the sub-control circuit on the sub-control substrate 40.

When the pachinko ball P enters the starting winning opening 12 b to generate starting winning, the main CPU 31 determines whether or not the game is a big hit game. The sub-control circuit gets special symbols to be sequentially stopped and displayed on the liquid crystal display device 13 c in a mode corresponding to the result of the big hit game determination. When the game gets into a reach state where the right and left symbols are the same at the time of stoppage and display, a reach representation is provided by means of the special symbol and the image representation on the liquid crystal display device 13 c.

The speaker driving circuit comprises: a sound source IC 48 for generating an original signal of sound effect; a sound source data ROM 49 which is connected to the sound source IC 48 and stores the sound effect therein; an amplifier 50 for amplifying the original signal outputted from the sound source IC 48; and a volume change-over switch 51 for designating a volume output level of one volume level out of three volume levels. The speaker driving circuit controls the speakers 13 b, 13 b by means of a drive signal from the sub-CPU 41. A drive circuit 52 controls emission of the illumination LED 11 a ₂ according to the gaming state of the pachinko gaming machine 10 by means of a drive signal from the sub-CPU 41.

To the disbursement and launching control substrate 60, connected are: a disbursement device 61 for disbursing winning balls or the like and the launching solenoid 13 d driven according to the operation of the launching handle 1. The disbursement and launching control circuit configured on the disbursement and launching control substrate 60 drives and controls the disbursement device 61 according to a disbursement command signal outputted from the main control substrate 30 depending on entry of the pachinko ball P into each kind of the winning openings to disburse winning balls, while drive-controlling the launching solenoid 13 d according to the operation of the launching handle 1 by the player to launch the pachinko ball P to the game region 12A.

According to the above configuration, when the pachinko ball P is not passing through the passing hole 100 a as indicated in FIG. 8A, the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the permanent magnets 101, 102 generate, flows through the inside of the annular magnetic path formed by the yokes 103, 104 made of a metal having a magnetic resistance much smaller than that in the space of the passing hole 100 a. At this time, the Hall voltage generated in the Hall element 105 shows a large value, and the circuit board of the passing ball sensor 100 outputs a detection signal showing that the pachinko ball P is not passing through the passing hole 100 a.

When the pachinko balls P having been launched to the game region 12A by the operation of the launching handle 1 enters the opening region of each of the winning openings 12 b to 12 d or passes through the opening region of the passing gate, the pachinko balls P pass through the passing hole 100 a of the passing ball sensor 100 provided in each of the slots 71 to 74 while being collected during the passage through the ball channels 70 a to 70 e. At this time, the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the permanent magnets 101, 102 generate, flows through the inside of the pachinko ball P made of a metal having a small magnetic resistance nearly equal to that of the yokes 103, 104, as indicated by dotted lines B in FIG. 8B, as well as through the inside of the annular magnetic path formed by the yokes 103, 104. Here, the magnetic flux passing through the inside of the yokes 103, 104 decreases. According to this decrease in the magnetic flux, the Hall voltage generated in the Hall element 105 arranged in the space 103 a of the yoke 103 becomes smaller than the Hall voltage when the pachinko ball P is not passing. On the decrease in the Hall voltage, the circuit board outputs, to the main CPU 31, a detection signal showing that the pachinko ball P has passed through the passing hole 100 a. When receiving this detection signal, the main CPU 31 determines that the pachinko ball P has passed through the passing hole 100 a, to perform the process for disbursing the pachinko ball P according to the winning opening that the pachinko ball P entered or the passing gate through which the pachinko ball P passed.

According to the pachinko gaming machine 10 of the present embodiment, as thus described, most of the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the pair of permanent magnets 101, 102 generate, flows through the inside of the yokes 103, 104 which form the annular magnetic path, when the pachinko ball P is not passing through the passing hole 100 a of the passing ball sensor 100. On the other hand, when the pachinko ball P is passing through the passing hole 100 a, the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the pair of permanent magnets 101, 102 generate, also flows through the inside of the pachinko ball P, as mentioned above, and being dispersed, the magnetic flux flowing through the inside of the yokes 103, 104 decreases. Therefore, the Hall element 105 detects whether or not the pachinko ball P has passed through the passing hole 100 a, based on the change in magnetic flux passing through the inside of the yokes 103, 104, that is, the change in magnetic flux generating in the annular magnetic path. At this time, the Hall element 105 detects the change in magnetic flux generating in the closed annular magnetic path and therefore can detect the passage of the pachinko ball P accurately without influence of an external magnetic field. Accordingly, the illegal actions in which the pachinko balls P are illegally obtained by making the Hall element 105 to erroneously detect that the pachinko ball P has passed, by putting a magnet close to the transparent gaming board 12 from the front face and thereby making an external magnetic field reach the Hall element 105, can be prevented.

According to the present embodiment, the distribution of the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field that the pair of permanent magnets 101, 102 generates, concentrates within the space 103 a formed in the yoke 103. Therefore, the Hall element 105 arranged in the space 103 a tends to effectively and accurately detect the change in magnetic flux, which generates in the annular magnetic path depending on whether or not the pachinko ball P has passed.

Further in the present embodiment, the permanent magnets 101, 102 face each other in a direction parallel to a board face of the transparent gaming board 12, and the yokes 103, 104 are arranged along this direction, and the Hall element 105 is arranged such that a detection face 105 a for detecting the change in magnetic flux is perpendicular to the board face of the transparent gaming board 12. Therefore, the Hall element 105 detects, on the detection face 105 a, a change in magnetic flux generating in a direction parallel to the transparent gaming board 12, but does not detect, on the detection face 105 a, a change in magnetic flux generating in a direction perpendicular to the transparent gaming board 12. Accordingly, if a magnet is put close to the transparent gaming board 12 from the front face, for example, since a magnetic field reaching the detection face 105 a of the Hall element 105 due to the magnet mainly has a component in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic flux detection and hardly has an influence on the magnetic field detected on the detection face 105 a by the Hall element 105, the illegal actions using the false detection of the Hall element 105 can be prevented more certainly.

According to the present embodiment, because the Hall element 105 constitutes as the magnetic flux detection means, the change in magnetic flux, which is generated when the pachinko ball P passes through the passing hole 100 a, is detected by detection of a change in Hall voltage, generating as a galvanomagnetic effect inside the Hall element 105. The change in Hall voltage appears as a drift change of a carrier inside the Hall element 105, and is detected in extremely short period of time. Therefore, passage of the pachinko ball P is detected with high speed and high accuracy. If an electromagnetic wave causes a slight change in magnetic flux, in the static magnetic field around the Hall element 105, such change hardly has an influence on a Hall effect generated by the Hall element 105. Therefore, improper detection of the passage of the pachinko ball P due to the influence of the electromagnetic wave, will not occur.

The above embodiment describes the case where the Hall element 105 is used as the magnetic flux detection means, but a magnetoresistive element may also be used in place of the Hall element 105.

Further, the above embodiment describes the case where the permanent magnets 101, 102 are used as the magnetic field generation means, but the magnetic field generation means is appropriately changeable so long as the means generates the static magnetic field.

The above embodiment describes the case where the gaming machine according to the present invention is applied to a pachinko gaming machine, but it is also possible to apply the present invention to another gaming machine comprising a gaming ball detection device for detecting a gaming ball having passed through a predetermined region of a gaming member. Also in the case of applying the present invention to such a gaming machine, a similar functional effect to that of the above embodiment is exerted. 

1. A gaming machine comprising a gaming ball detection device for detecting a gaming ball having passed through a predetermined region of a gaming member provided on a gaming board, wherein said gaming ball detection device comprises: a gaming ball detection channel through which a gaming ball passes; a pair of magnetic field generation means for generating a magnetic field in said gaming ball detection channel, the pair of magnetic generation means being arranged around the gaming ball detection channel so as to face each other; yokes forming an annular magnetic path between said pair of magnetic field generation means, the yokes being arranged around said gaming ball detection channel; and magnetic flux detection means for detecting a change in magnetic flux generating in said annular magnetic path.
 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, said yokes comprising: a first yoke having a space and formed on said annular magnetic path; and a second yoke arranged facing the first yoke, wherein said magnetic flux detection means is arranged within said space.
 3. The gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein said magnetic field generation means face each other in a direction parallel to a board face of said gaming board, said yokes are arranged along the direction, and said magnetic flux detection means is arranged such that a detection face for detecting the change in magnetic flux is perpendicular to the board face of said gaming board.
 4. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic flux detection means comprises a Hall element. 